Student Spotlight: Amber Ridings

Amber Ridings on a sand dune in Abu Dhabi, during one of many trips she's taken throughout her undergraduate career with the Business Administration & Accounting Club and the Economics Club.

As a senior graduating in May, Amber Ridings cherishes many memories from her time at Bethany College – and just as many memories very far away from campus as well.

From London to Switzerland, Italy to Dubai, Amber has gotten to experience the world throughout her time at Bethany. She took every chance she could to travel with the Business Administration & Accounting Club and the Economics Club. “All of the beautiful sights that we saw, the culture we experienced, and the knowledge we acquired have left me with enough stories to go on for hours,” Amber said.

She said Bethany made these trips both affordable and educational, something she believes is only possible at a small, liberal arts college. But, she said, Bethany did more than that.

“Bethany is so very special because it fosters such a sense of belief in the phrase, ‘If you want to do it, go for it!’ Because of our small community atmosphere, it is easy to make leadership possibilities become a reality,” she said.

Leadership could quite possibly be Amber’s middle name. She serves as Senior Class Council President (and served as freshman through sophomore, too); she is a member of Alpha Xi Delta, where she served as Public Relations Vice President for more than two terms; she is a third-year Kalon Scholar co-advisor; and she is the treasurer of the Business Administration and Accounting Club. Amber is also a member of the women’s tennis team, a third-year resident assistant, and an associate in the President’s Office.

So how does she handle all that’s on her plate? Time management is key if you want to succeed in college, Amber said. However, even if you have your day planned out down to the minute, there’s one thing that’s easy to forget: making time for yourself. Sometimes, she said, even the most ambitious students need downtime.

“College memories are not always made in a lecture hall or a scheduled event, but rather most often when you least expect it. In managing your time, be sure to account for that.”

Amber’s hard work has paid off: This summer she will be interning with Dixon Hughes Goodman. She also plans to attend a one-year Masters of Science of Accountancy Program and begin studying and testing for the Certified Public Accountant examination.

Looking back on the last four years, the best advice she can give students stepping foot onto campus for the first time is simple: Enjoy it.

“As a freshman, as simple as it may be, I wish I had known how quickly undergraduate comes to an end,” Amber said. “We become so consumed in ‘getting it over with’ that we forget to cherish some of the moments that become the peak of our time spent here. If I were to do it all again with the knowledge I have now, I think I would take time to just take it all in.”